Weather seal



March 18, 1947. 5 J. C'ZERVWCZMK 2,417,470

WEATHER SEAL Filed Oct. 14, 1944 If) I H A 'f1\ I E INVENTOR.

ATTOIEA/EYS.

Patented Mar. 18, 1947 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,417,470 WEATHER SEAL Stanley J. Czerwicznik, Milwaukee, Wis.

, Application October 14, 1944, Serial No. 558,656

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates in general to improvements in weather seals, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of weather stripping for doors, windows or other similar closures.

The primary object of my invention is to pro-- vide a new and useful weather seal for doors, windows, or the like, which is simple in construction and highly effective in use.

Many different types of so-called weather stripping have heretofore been proposed and used commercially for diverse purposes and with varying degrees of success, and while it is a relatively simple matter to weather seal sliding windows or the like with the aid of interfitting and relatively slidable resilient metallic s rips, it is far more difficult to effectively seal swinging doors and windows especially if any warping or other distortion is present in the bodies or frames thereof. Then too, the resilient metal used in many of the prior weather strips has recently been obtainable only in relatively small quantities and at high cost, while wood and other relatively resilient nonmetallic materials are more readily available at considerably lower cost. While it has also been proposed to utilize wooden and other non-metallic weather stripping for swinging doors or the like, these prior sealing devices were either too complicated and expensive, or they could not be readily applied to existing doors, or they failed to effectively accomplish their intended purpose especially when the swinging doorsor windows were warped or otherwise distorted.

It is therefore a more specific object of the present invention to provide an improved yieldable weather strip especially applicable to swinging door assemblages or other closures, and which will effectively seal the door opening even if the swinging door or other member is warped or otherwise distorted.

These and other specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the features constituting my present improvement, and of the construction and operation of a weather strip embodying the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. l is a fragmentary part-sectional outside view of a piece of the improved elongated weather stripping, showingthe flexible plunger bar in its outermost position, and the section having been taken centrally of the molding strip and plunger bar;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the improved weather strip taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1, and showing the same applied to a door jamb and about to coact with a closing swing door;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the same weather strip taken along the same line 2-2, but showing the door closed and coacting with the flexible plunger bar;

Fig. 4 is another transverse section through the weather strip assemblage taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. l, and showing the plunger bar in its outermost position and the assemblage attached to a door lamb; and

Another specific object of this invention is to provide an improved sealing strip for swinging doors or the like, which may be readily applied to the upright or horizontal jambs, or other parts of any existing standard swing door installation.

A further specific object of my invention is to provide a relatively simple, compact, and neat appearing flexible weather strip, which may be manufactured and sold at moderate cost.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a durable seal strip assemblage which may be furnished or cut into any desired lengths, and which functions to automatically conform with the contour of coacting closures throughout the length thereof.

Fig. 5 is another section similar to that of Fig. 1 taken centrally and longitudinally through a fragment of the improved door sealing strip, but showing the plunger bar and one of the leaf springs coacting therewith, depressed as in Fig. 3.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as being especially adapted for embodiment in sealing strips applicable to standard door jambs in the form of stop strips, it is not my intention or desire to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope Or utility of the improvement.

Referring to the drawing, my improved weather strip as shown therein by way of illustration, comprises in general an elongated molding strip 8 having a rectilinear groove 9 therein and extending throughout its entire length; a flexible plunger bar Ill snugly but slidably confined within the groove 9 by means of a series of parallel nails it having heads 52 coacting with local recesses l3 formed in the bar I 0; and a series of approximately semi-circular resilient elements or leaf springs f4 disposed within the groove 9 beneath the bar I 0 and coacting at their opposite ends with the groove bottom. and at their medial portionswith arcuate notches it formed in the inner edge of the bar Ill.

The elongated molding strips 8 may be of any desired length, and may be formed of any suitable and durable material such as wood, plastic, or the like, and the grooves 9 should be accurately formed of uniform cross-sectional area throughout their lengths. Each of the molding strips should also be provided with a series of local holes 15 adapted for the reception of fastening elements such as screws 1 l in order to permit ready attachment of the weather strip assemblages to the top and side jambs I8 of a swing door 19, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4; and the holes it are preferably disposed equi-distant apart. 7

The elongated flexible plunger bars H3 which snugly but slidably engage the groovesS oi the molding strips 8, may also be formed of suitable relatively bendable materialsuch as hard wood, plastic or the like, and should be of substantially the same lengths as the strips 8 with which they cooperate. As shown, the transverse cross-sections of the bars 5 El are rectangular, and the flexibility of the plunger bars is enhanced by the successive notches 45 which are formed in the bars H) at relatively close intervals spaced equi-distance apart. The nail receiving recesses I3 are similarly spaced along the length of each plunger bar I0, and are located between the successive notches l5; and these recesses it are of definite depth and are provided with parallel pre-formed concentric. holes 29 extending from the recess bottoms through the inner portions of the bars l and slidably engaging the parallel guide nails II.

The guiding and limit stop elements or nails H may be standard finish nails driven firmly into the body of the molding strip 8 so that the heads i2 of all of the nails will be equi-distant from the bottom of the groove 9, whereby the bars It may move or slide into the grooves 9, but have their outward motion positively stopped or arrested by the nail heads l2 contacting the bottoms of the recesses !3. The fastening screws I! may also be of any suitable standard type, preferably located between successive nails II; and the. resilient leaf springs 54 are preferably formed of, spring metal or other suitable material, and

'tend to force the bar it outwardly toward the nail heads l2 at all times. As previously indicated, there. is a. series or succession of these springs Hi provided in each weather strip assemblage, and the curved leaf springs l l'are normally retained in proper position and are prevented from shifting by the successive notches I with which they coact. V

- The improved elongated weather strip assemblakes may be manufactured and sold in various lengths, and may be cut to suit particular requirements, and they may also be produced in various commercial sizes. 7 When the molding strip 8, bar l9, and springs l4 have been properly constructed, it. is a simple matter to complete a weather strip assemblage by merely inserting the nails I l within the holes 26, and by subsequently driving these nails into the body of the strip 8 after the successive springs 54 have been properly posi tioned within their confining notches l5. In driving the nails ll, care should be exercised in finally positioning the nail, heads l2 equi-distant from the bottom of the groove 9, and the outer edge of the bar it may finally be provided withv a strip of felt, if so desired, in order to conceal the nail holes l3 and to deaden sound. After the weather strips have been out to proper length, they may be fastened to the top and side lambs l 8 for proper cooperation with a swing door l9.

During normal use of the improved weather strips when thus applied to a door assembly, when the door I9 is open, the retractable bars Ill of the weather strips will be in outermost position stopped by the nail heads l2, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, by virtue of the actionof the leaf springs 14 coacting with the notches l5 and with the bottoms of the recesses 93. However, when the door 19 is swung into closed position as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the springs Hi will be distorted and the bars It will be forced into the recesses 9 thereby causing the nail heads I2 to move away from the bottoms. of the recesses l3. If the portions of the door H] which engage the bars l0 are perfectly straight, all of the springs M will be distorted like amounts, and all portions of the bars It! will move into the adjacent recesses 9 equal amounts. However, if the door surfaces are warped, some of the-springs 14 will be distorted lesser amounts than others, and the springs will then flex or bend the bars It, so as to insure intimate contact between the outer bar edges and the adjacent distorted door surfaces, thus inswing efiective sealin even under such abnormal conditions. When the door I!) is again swung away from the bars Ill, the spring M will become quickly effective to restore the weather strip assemblages to the condition shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, preparatory to subsequent sealing when the door is again closed. 7

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that my present invention provides an improved weather strip assemblage which besides being extremely simple," durable and compact in construction, is also highly eiiicient in use. The improved weather strips maybe furnished in various lengths and sizes in order to meet difierent conditions of use, and may be assembled at. moderate cost from relatively simple and standard parts. The leaf springs 14 and the flexible bars It will insure tight sealing of'the joints even if the door or other closure is warped, or distorted, and while the weather strip has been shown herein as being advantageously applicable 7 to the top and side jambs of a door, the improved assemblages may also be applied to the doors themselves and to other types of closures. The weather strips embodying th'e present invention may obviously be manufactured and sold at moderate cost and are readily applicable by a novice so as to effectively perform their intended func: tions. 7 v g It should be understood thatit isnot desired to limit this invention to the exact details of con-' struction or to the precise mode of use, herein the. cross-sectional area of the bar to enhance the flexibility thereof, and a seriesof'approximately semi-circular leaf springs concealed within said groove and each having its medial portion looses ly disposed within one of said notches and its opposite ends freely slidably cooperable with said groove bottom.

STANLEY J. CZERWICZNIK. Number 2,343,446 REFERENCES CETED 5 493,225

U 2 0 894,903 The fohcawm relerences 8.16 of resold 1n thy 562503 file of this patent: 1 943 017 

